Bee Experience

In nature, there is a group of insects known for their diligence – bees. They evolved from the era of dinosaurs and have survived to this day. They not only provide honey for humans but also complete pollination while obtaining food from flowers. Pollination is the most important part of plant reproduction, and plants and bees carry out the cycle of life in a mutually beneficial way.

The first bee experience in Xinjiang began with an encounter that spanned thousands of miles. In April 2025, I received an inquiry about a bee experience. There were two children, aged 3 and 5, and the parent asked if the 3-year-old was too young. My reply was that it might be a bit too small; observing bees would be fine, but they wouldn't fully understand the bee knowledge part. The parent asked for the location and said they would arrange a time. A year later, on May 28, I received a message again. This time it was very direct – they saw I was in Yining and asked when they could schedule a bee experience. The sudden bee experience thus began.

The family of the little ones set off from Guangzhou and came to Ili, Xinjiang. I had kept bees since I drove from Dali to Ili, but I had never written an introduction to the bee experience. The experience started in 2023 and has been going on for 4 years, with over a thousand participants. There is so much to write, and I never knew where to start. Since the experience had such an unexpected beginning, I will start from the first session in Xinjiang. Every session prepares some simple fruits for the children.

The bee experience begins with sharing knowledge about bees with the children and their parents. The composition of a bee colony (queen, drones, workers), their respective roles in survival and evolution. How bees collect nectar from flowers and bring it back home to make honey, and how they store it so that honey can last for thousands of years without spoiling. How they collect pollen and process it. Why there are two different forms of female bees in the colony: the female bees that do the collecting live only about 50 days, while the female bee that gives birth every day can live 3 to 6 years. The male bees in the colony lead a wandering life, only eating without working, and they enjoy food that is obtained without effort in various colonies. Why do bees still keep them? The above questions are all answered during the experience.

After the knowledge sharing part, everyone puts on protective suits to observe bees. They can see up close what is happening in the bee colony at that moment. Combined with the knowledge explained, they can see the queen, drones, and worker bees up close. Why are bees called genius architects? When you see the hive, the answer is revealed along with the explanation. You can also see the pollen brought back by bees and the honey stored in the hive. With luck, you might also witness the bee dance that conveys food information to companions.

Finally, you can see the process of bees being born. Newly born bees do not sting. The stinging behavior of bees is a defensive act that has not degenerated in evolution. They only attack once in their lifetime, and after completing the sting, the bee dies. Under protection, the probability of being stung during observation is extremely low. Finally, honeycombs are taken out from the hive, and you can taste honey that is still warm. The whole activity lasts about 2 hours.

Activity summary:

- Composition of bee colony and respective roles

- Worker bees' collection, honey-making, and dancing

- Observing the bee colony

- Tasting honey

The first session in 2023.

Photos and videos